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Legalization of drugs is "successful" in that it's a lot better than jailing people, but addiction is still a huge problem for society. If someone really wants

Legalization of drugs is "successful" in that it's a lot better than jailing people, but addiction is still a huge problem for society. If someone really wants to get high, there's not much we can do to stop them, and that's an acceptable consequence of drug legalization. But what we can stop is someone in a lot of pain who buys way too much Oxycodone and gets addicted because they didn't understand the risks. Right now, they'd have to go see a doctor first, who could prescribe an appropriate amount and/or recommend less dangerous treatment options. When I talk about unlicensed doctor's offices, I don't mean someone posing as an MD, I mean a well-meaning individual opening a cheap clinic and offering medical advice for non-emergency issues. Or maybe more likely, WebMD adding links to order drugs on their results pages. Why go to the doctor if you can just look up your symptoms in 5 minutes and have pills arrive at your door the next day?

stagbeetle 10y ago
> but addiction is still a huge problem for society. If someone really wants to get high, there's not much we can do to stop them, and that's an acceptable consequence of drug legalization. But what we can stop is someone in a lot of pain who buys way too much Oxycodone and gets addicted because they didn't understand the risks. But what part of the pain management patients actively abuse their meds. It's a real issue, but is it a commonplace issue where we absolutely have to devout resources to solving it?
- burkaman 10y ago
  Yes, there's a reason it's called an epidemic: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/Factsheet-opioids-061516.pdf https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/Factsheet-opioids-06... Imagine the numbers if patients didn't need a prescription and didn't need to talk to a doctor about safe usage.
  - darkerside 10y ago
    Doctors over prescribing this is exactly the problem.
darkerside 10y ago
I agree painkillers like oxycodone are a huge problem, but ironically, this is exactly because doctors are over prescribing them. If people had access to options like medical marijuana, I think we'd actually see less prescription drug abuse. And why not allow the OTC treatments and clinics you describe? They may not (probably should not) be covered by medical insurance, but I see no reason not to allow someone to open up a medical advice clinic of their own volition. Is that even illegal today?

stagbeetle 10y ago

> but addiction is still a huge problem for society. If someone really wants to get high, there's not much we can do to stop them, and that's an acceptable consequence of drug legalization. But what we can stop is someone in a lot of pain who buys way too much Oxycodone and gets addicted because they didn't understand the risks. But what part of the pain management patients actively abuse their meds. It's a real issue, but is it a commonplace issue where we absolutely have to devout resources to solving it?

burkaman 10y ago
Yes, there's a reason it's called an epidemic: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/Factsheet-opioids-061516.pdf https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/Factsheet-opioids-06... Imagine the numbers if patients didn't need a prescription and didn't need to talk to a doctor about safe usage.
- darkerside 10y ago
  Doctors over prescribing this is exactly the problem.

darkerside 10y ago

I agree painkillers like oxycodone are a huge problem, but ironically, this is exactly because doctors are over prescribing them. If people had access to options like medical marijuana, I think we'd actually see less prescription drug abuse. And why not allow the OTC treatments and clinics you describe? They may not (probably should not) be covered by medical insurance, but I see no reason not to allow someone to open up a medical advice clinic of their own volition. Is that even illegal today?